Organize your Repair Shop with better bookkeeping

If you are the owner of an auto repair shop and need to know worthwhile information about bookkeeping, then you are at the right place. Auto repair shops usually face various challenges as they work between parts manufacturers and vehicle owners. The owners of auto repair shops certainly need to adapt to the newest vehicle technologies and software every year for maximum efficiency. In your auto repair shop, you need to take several measures to enhance your bookkeeping and accounting. You should keep track of your small business inventory, estimate labor costs, and many things else. For this reason, it is essential to know various bookkeeping and accounting tips and tricks to keep your finances accurate. In this article, we are going to review some useful notes to consider regarding bookkeeping in an auto repair business, and we want you to know we can be your partner in setting up better bookkeeping practices.  

Choose Your Accounting Method

The very first step to managing your auto repair shop’s financial status is to choose the right bookkeeping and accounting method for your shop, whether it is a small business or a large one. This way you can track your income and expenses. As a result, your auto repair shop’s trading will remain consistent and accurate. Keep in mind that the bookkeeping method you choose may impact your business cash flow and tax calculations. The two most widely used accounting methods are cash basis and accrual (traditional) basis methods. The cash basis method is the simplest type of accounting for your tax management. This method helps you track income as soon as you receive it, and track expenses when they payout. On the other hand, the accrual basis method helps you count income when it is earned instead of received. The best approach is to talk to a CPA to find out which method is best for your auto repair shop.

Calculate The Total Cost of Jobs

Now that you have specified your bookkeeping method, you need to be able to calculate your total job cost for your customer’s tasks. This allows you to manage the profitability of the new jobs you receive in your auto repair shop. To calculate the total cost of a job you can calculate the cost of direct materials and labor in your auto repair shop, and add the result to the cost of the applied overheads. After you find out the total cost of a job, you can find out how much profit you will make after the customer pays you. When a vehicle owner needs you, the ultimate profit of a job depends on whether you give them a quote or an estimate. Gradually, you will learn how to provide your customers with more accurate estimates. Until then, your bookkeeping system can use the final payment figure from customers.

Record Your Expenses

As the business owner of an auto repair shop, your income is massively dependent upon ordering different vehicle parts and components. You need to record these as the main part of your expenses. One of the primary approaches to beekeeping in auto repair shops is to make records of all the invoices and receipts you receive from vendors as detailed as possible. Also, it is recommended that you record additional information such as transaction date, vendor, and job tickets. This helps your profitability because you can track individual job revenues. Also, it helps you make filing your tax returns easier as you do not have to remember all your trading history during the last year. You may face various expenses in your auto repair shop. It is suggested that you keep a record of these typical expenses:

• Tool and equipment
• Ordering parts
• Business registration and licensing
• Safety measures
• Insurances
• Other materials including lubricants and oils
• Staff salaries
• Bookkeeping and accounting software

Getting aid from bookkeeping and accounting software in this regard can help you manage your income and expenses efficiently. You can consider using one in your auto repair shop for optimum management.

Send Invoices to Your Customers

When you announce the cost of a repairing task to the vehicle owner, it is suggested that you provide them with an invoice. You should mention all the associated costs one by one and include payment instructions if possible. The interesting part of sending an invoice to a customer is that invoices are not just beneficial to your customer; your bookkeeping agent can keep a copy of the invoices to record income sources. Sending an invoice enables you to save time effortlessly and keep a record of your income.

Manage Your Cash Flow

Whether for a small business or a large one, it is crucial to ensure that you are never short on cash. Auto repair shops are also no exception. This is a critical principle called “cash flow.” The shortage in cash flow can easily lead to bankruptcy of your business. If you normally handle routine jobs like regular services of a customer’s car, then you should probably be abundant in cash most of the time. However, the risk of running out of cash is bigger when working on big, lengthy projects. Therefore, make sure you have enough cash to cover costs until your customers can pay for your completed services. Having consistent cash flow is one of the key approaches to achieving success in your small business. Bookkeepers and accountants both should be aware of the amount of cash available in the business inventory every day.

Stay Up to Date

Auto repair shops, like other businesses, have to adapt to the newest technologies in the field of bookkeeping and accounting. The days of using pencils and ledgers are long gone. Bookkeeping and accounting software helps auto repair shops operate their business with fewer mistakes and higher efficiency. Virtual Bookkeeping like what we offer at Less Accounting allows you to boost the profitability of your auto repair shop. You can use the service to estimate expenses and incomes, keep a history of vehicle maintenance, manage parts ordering, and get aid from numerous bookkeeping tools and features in the Less Accounting bookkeeping software. Our services allow you to enhance the process of transferring financial information to your accountant and other essential managers. Also, it helps your small business save time significantly and avoid risky tax mistakes. As a result, the owners of auto repair shops can comfortably focus on doing their best work instead of being worried about bookkeeping and accounting issues.